The ordinary-sized words are for everyone, but the big ones are especially for children.

Monday, 25 November 2013

Spot the frippet: smoke.

It's not as easy to spot as it used to be, smoke, is it?Cigarettes have mostly gone electric, and heating generally comes in radiators, or under the floor. Long ago, when my grandparents used to run The Beehive pub, the ceiling in the bar used to be amber with pipe and cigarette smoke. It got so filthy so quickly that a regular job in the summer was using the nicotine-infused dirty water from washing off the smoke-stains to kill the black fly on the broad beans.It worked very well, or so I understand.I can't say I regret the disappearance of smoking, but I do miss the scent of wood smoke and the crackle and spitting of open fires.But still, if smoke itself is difficult to spot then smoked glass can still be seen both in the houses of people with no taste, and on the windscreens of cars and public transport:Then there are smoked kippers:smoked salami and cheese:
Smoked cheese and salami on a stall in Fundata, Romania.
Photo by Vlad.saileanu.and smoked bacon:And I suppose, if pressed, you could always try making some toast.Easiest of all, ask your friends if they'd like to hear your Hammond Organ CD.Yes, that's right. They'll run away so fast you won't be able to see them for smoke.Spot the frippet: smoke. This word comes the Old English smoca and is related to the Middle Dutch smieken, to emit smoke.

2 comments:

We still have plenty of smoke around us! We have a wood-stove which we have going nearly all winter.You can't beat the heat from a wood fire - so much cosier than electric heat, etc. I love it. Except when I open the door too fast, and fill the room with smoke! :)I love the scent of it outside, not so much inside!

I'm an ex-smoker, (4 years now!), and sure don't miss the nicotine-stained walls etc. My husband still smokes, but is a real darling, and only smokes outside now.

And since you mentioned food, I am now off to have some smoked salmon which was recently given to us by an old fellow here who catches and smokes his own. And it's good!Hmn, why do I feel the need to clear my throat now?!